Police warn of chip-and-pin flaws

Problems with payment system need to be rectified

A thorough check of the UK's chip-and-pin payment system is being carried out by police to fix security flaws in the system, according to a new report.

It has been found that criminals are using the system to steal customers' bank details.

This is something the police warned the public about earlier this month, but Computer Weekly has revealed that this warning is all part of an on-going police programme.

Speaking to the magazine, Detective Chief Inspector John Folan said: "The irony is that the system will be enhanced to make it more secure. We have been able to see the gap in the system."

This is not the first time flaws in the chip-and-pin system have been highlighted, with TechRadar reporting on potential problems in February of last year, but it is the first time that the police have acted significantly on it.

Fraud prevention

Apparently there have been instances where criminals were hiding devices in terminals that would copy card data, ready for use in places where chip-and-pin has yet to be installed.

This is one of the many things the police will be checking in their investigation. They will also make shops aware of the risks of fraud, and have already started issuing advice to the banking industry about chip-and-pin fraud prevention.